


stubborn

by simplydreaming



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Cute, F/M, Fluff, and angst? but not really, kaz is angry, not sure where this fits in, so is inej
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 22:07:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17816387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simplydreaming/pseuds/simplydreaming
Summary: Just a few blocks away, and then they could fix her. They could stitch her up and everything would be fine again. He wouldn’t have to worry.They made it one block before the Bastard of the Barrel lost his temper.





	stubborn

Inej panted heavily, her hand glued to her side. She gritted her teeth and pushed herself to her feet.

“ _Saints_ , Inej,” Kaz spat.

“I’m fine,” she growled. “Let’s go.”

“No, you took that hit for me. He _stabbed_ you. You’re bleeding!” Kaz argued, his face red. He leaned on his cane, breathing harder than usual. “We need to clean that up.”

Inej sighed. “Please, let’s just leave. It’s fine.” She began to walk slowly out of the alleyway, her braid swinging back and forth dejectedly. “You already hurt him ten-fold what he did to me.” She called back to him.

“He deserved it.” Kaz limped after her, his face set in a frown. “You were reckless, Wraith.”

“Isn’t that what you pay me to be?” Inej chuckled wryly. “To take risks and be your spy? To be the deadly assassin that no one sees coming?”

“You’re no use to me injured.” He hissed. “What you did was unnecessary.”

Inej whipped around, groaning in pain as she did so. “Kaz, he would’ve killed you. You weren’t looking and if I hadn’t stepped in, he would’ve gotten your chest.” She shook her head. “You can act like I made a mistake but you’re no use to the Dregs if you’re dead either.”

Kaz pursed his lips. “We can talk about this back at the Slat.” He began walking back towards safety.

Just a few blocks away, and then they could fix her. They could stitch her up and everything would be fine again. He wouldn’t have to worry.

They made it one block before the Bastard of the Barrel lost his temper.

“Don’t be stubborn, Brekker.” Inej groaned.

“Me, the stubborn one?” Kaz snarled. “Surely you jest.”

Inej raised her eyebrows and spoke as if she was reprimanding a child. “You know I was right.”

Kaz stopped, his cane hitting the ground forcefully. “Well, I know I would rather die than see you get hurt,” he shouted. “You don’t get it, Inej. I would rather be stabbed in the chest than see you bleed out.” His voice softened at the end, and she could see his eyes pleading with hers.

“I’m not going to bleed out, Kaz. Unless you’ve forgotten, you’ve gotten me stabbed before. This is an occupational hazard and it is nothing new.” Inej took in a deep breath, her shoulders slumping. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”

Kaz stepped towards her, his face betraying the hard exterior he worked so hard to put up. “I just want to protect you.”

“I don’t need that, Kaz,” Inej replied. “I am your Wraith because I can take care of myself. This will heal.” She gestured to her side. “If you die, my heart won’t.”

“Inej,” he whispered reverently.

_Kiss her._ He told himself. _Take off the gloves. Reach out and show her how much you care. Show her how much you want to hold her in your arms._

She smiled sadly. “Kaz Brekker, I am hopelessly, irrevocably, in love with you. It would kill me to see you die.”

_Tell her_. His mind yelled. _Tell her you love her._

Instead, all he could ask was: “Why?”

Inej took another step closer, now he could feel her hot breath, could feel her presence as it encompassed him. “You’ve always believed in me, Kaz. You’ve always fought for me. Why don’t you let me do the same?”

“I’m not worthy of your love, Ghafa. I don’t… I can’t…” He trailed off.

Inej reached for him, her hands grasping his. She looked at him pointedly, as she began to tug on his gloves. He breathed in deeply and nodded.

Slowly, carefully, she began taking off his armor. The gloves came off and she held them gingerly in her hands.

“I want this.” Kaz nodded. “I want you, I just… I don’t know how.” She heard the crack; both in his voice and in the wall he puts up so high.

“You and I, we’re quite the pair, Brekker. Both broken, both damaged. But we can both love so hard, and so fully. I feel it,” she whispered. “I can feel your love.” Her hands encircled his, and he inhaled sharply. “I know it.”

His gaze traveled down her body. He memorized the little scars here and there, the wounds she took for his sake. He stopped at the gash on her side.

“Thank you, Inej,” Kaz whispered back. His eyes raised to meet hers.

She melted into his gaze, her eyebrows knitting together. “For what?”

His body shivered as he leaned forward. He pressed his lips to her cheek, her skin burning hot. Kaz forced his body to stay calm and pulled back gently. “For everything you’ve done, and for everything you are.”

He straightened up, and Inej could see his face morphing back into the Kaz Brekker she first fell in love with. Professional, straight to the point, with a dash of cynicism.

“Let’s go. We have to sew you up.” He turned away to continue the trek back to the Slat. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out his hand again for her to take.

She entwined their fingers and grinned.

“So we can agree that I was right, though?”

Kaz shook his head with a small laugh that escaped from his lips. “Stubborn as ever.”

**Author's Note:**

> wheeeeee thank you for reading!!!! feedback would be appreciated (:


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